Ricotta Gnocchi

No big deal.  Just whipped up some fresh ricotta gnocchi and served them with fresh organic tomatoes from the farmer's market and torn basil from my lovely basil plant growing in my apartment window.  Topped with freshly grated parmesan.

Lobster Salad Lunch

My new favorite thing is going to the Union Square farmers market on Saturday mornings.  I pick up fruits, veggies, Ronnybrook skim milk in their adorable glass bottle (though I wish they were dark glass bottles to prevent the loss of the light-sensitive B-vitamins), various multigrain seeded breads, and fish and shellfish from the friendly folks at the PE & DD fish stand.

Their fish/shellfish is so FRESH and you better get there early if you want some.  The past couple of times I've gone, the bluefish is gone by 8am.  A few others sell out by 9am and most all of the stuff is gone by 3pm or so.

I have been picking up one freshly cooked lobster (chilled) and a pound of cod or flounder.  Next time I will not pass up on the tuna steaks-- they looked absolutely amazing last week.

The lobsters are about a pound and a half and PE & DD charge $9.95/lb.  I do not own lobster crackers (they're on my list to pick up sometime soon), so I've been enjoying watching my boyfriend go at it with a hammer in our kitchen.  We keep the lobster wrapped in a plastic bag and use folded up paper towels as a buffer in between the hammer slams and the lobster.  It's worked very well so far :)

I grew up in Massachusetts and spend every summer vacation in Maine, so I am very familiar with good lobster.  This is some of the best lobster I've ever had.  They cook it perfectly.  Normally I'm the type who loves warm lobster with dripping hot butter smothered over it.  These chilled lobsters over a salad is my new favorite dish- the lobster is soooo tasty without anything on it.  I don't even use dressing on the salad, just a touch of lemon squeezed over it.

The tail is easy to get out, no use of the hammer here.  Simply twist and tear it away from the rest of the body.  Use a sharp knife and cut a line down the center of the underside.

Pull the sides apart like so...

And pop the meat out from the shell.

 Viola!

I simply cut up the meat and put it atop all my fresh veggies from the market: organic fresh greens, organic snap peas, organic tomatoes, avocado (bought at Whole Foods for $2.50), organic pear (bought at Trader Joe's for .49 cents), radishes, and organic bean sprouts.

Strawberry Season Has Arrived

Now that summer is just around the corner, I get to indulge in some of my favorite fruits...berries!  I went to the Union Square farmer's market yesterday to pick up some freshly picked strawberries.  I had to search a bit to find organic ones there, as most of the fruit/veggie farms represented are not organic farms.  I finally found a pint for $5.  They were grown with no pesticides at all, which makes them vulnerable to perishing quickly, so the woman who sold them to me said to "enjoy them today."

I wanted mixed berries, so I hopped across the street to Whole Foods to grab some organic raspberries and organic blueberries, both 6oz for $3.99.

Grab a bowl and add 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp sugar.  Whisk away, it takes about 5+ minutes, but eventually it will thicken and all of a sudden, fresh whipped cream!

There's nothing like berries and cream for a simple treat after dinner.

And the winner is...

2011 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards

Best New Restaurant

A restaurant opened in 2010 that already displays excellence in food, beverage, and service and is likely

to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

ABC Kitchen

NYC

Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Owners: Paulette Cole, ABC Home and Phil Suarez

Outstanding Chef Award

A working chef in America whose career has set national industry standards and who has served as an

inspiration to other food professionals. Candidates must have been working as chefs for at least the past

5 years.

José Andrés

minibar by josé andrés

Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Pastry Chef Award

A chef or baker who prepares desserts, pastries, or breads and who serves as a national standard-bearer

for excellence. Candidates must have been pastry chefs or bakers for at least the past 5 years.

Angela Pinkerton

Eleven Madison Park

NYC

Outstanding Restaurant Award

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and

excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or

more consecutive years.

Eleven Madison Park

NYC

Owner: Danny Meyer

Outstanding Restaurateur Award

A working restaurateur who sets high national standards in restaurant operations and entrepreneurship.

Candidates must have been in the restaurant business for at least 10 years. Candidates must not have

been nominated for a James Beard Foundation chef award in the past 10 years.

Richard Melman

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises

Chicago

Outstanding Service Award

A restaurant that demonstrates high standards of hospitality and service. Candidates must have been in

operation for at least the past 5 years.

Per Se

NYC

Chef/Owner: Thomas Keller and Laura Cunningham

Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award

Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of New Yo rk

A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits

industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Julian P. Van Winkle, III

Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery

Louisville, KY

Outstanding Wine Service Award

A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine

list, a knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in

operation for at least 5 years.

The Modern

NYC

Wine Director: Belinda Chang

Rising Star Chef of the Year Award

A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact

on the industry in years to come.

Gabriel Rucker

Le Pigeon

Portland, OR

Full award list: http://www.jamesbeard.org/files/2011_JBF_Awards_Winners.pdf

Enjoy what you eat

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating"
-Luciano Pavarotti

my mister enjoying some matzoh ball soup at Stage Deli on 7th Ave